Seshendra Sharma

Seshendra Sharma is a colossus of modern Indian poetry. Seshendra literature is a unique blend of the best of poetry and poetics.
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A tireless quest
A tribute Seshendra Sharma
the scholar and poet
Can anyone remain untouched by the early morning golden sunrise over the serene stretch of ocean, or by the flight of white birds sailing across blue skies? Our life, living, love, beauty, poetry, sensuousness and many emotions are linked with primal rhythms and natural vibrations of Nature - these rhythms and vibrations we feel in his poetry, in every written word of his. His verses so full of verve and life, pulsate like rhythmic heart beats. With one stroke of his pen, he gives us a lifetime observation.

Dr Seshendra Sharma, on whom the Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest honour of “Fellowship" in 1999 is an eminent poet, a ‘Maha Kavi' a critic of fine sensibility and a scholar of great standing. A trendsetter in poetry, he occupies a place of crucial importance in the development and evolution of Modern Indian Literature. He has great command over Telugu, English, Hindi and Sanskrit and is well versed in 'Tarka Shastra' and Upanishads. Apart from poetry he has written short stories, plays, novelettes, critical essays with the same force and authority, and also translated works from Telugu to English. He has authored more than 50 books which are translated into English, Kannada, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Nepali and Greek. He is married to Rajkumari Indira Dhanrajgiri, a poet herself.

Born in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh in 1927, Dr. Guntur Seshendra Sharma later graduated from the Andhra University, passed Law from Madras University, and in 1949 joined the state government and became a municipal commissioner. It was following a translation of 'Sohrab and Rustum' with the help of Mathew Arnold's version of the Persian Epic "Shahnama" that Seshendra first appeared in print, in 1952. From then on he concentrated on poetry, occasionally turning to criticism to fulfill his dialectical urge.

Seshendra's first collection of prose-poems 'Sesha Jyotsna' strictly conforming to Telugu prosody, was published in 1972 in bi-lingual editions (Telugu and English) with translations in Hindi and Urdu separately. The publication of 'Munday Suryudu' (Burning Sun) of using a poetic language to deal with revolutionary theme for the first time, is being followed by many poets today, in idiom and expression.

Eminent writers like Ali Sardar Jaffri hailed it as a landmark in Modern Indian Literature and some critics compared this epic poem with T.S. Eliot's' Wasteland, and 'L' Ascension' by St. John Perse. In the words of the great Greek poet, Nikhephoros Vretakkos, "It was not only Tagore and Gandhi who crossed the frontiers of their country and reached the wider world and achieved universality. Seshendra's epic poem ‘My country’ ‘My People' is proof. I would compare the pain and anguish of the poet with the one of Loutremont in his lyric 'Maid Aurore'. The difference is that Seshendra's protest is not made in the void.
He walks firmly on soil, one can find in the poet a wild whirlwind which attains incredible oratorical heights/creating terrific images-whirling within him is the idea of strength of life that is fighting the dark powers which want to take away it's freedom and bread... at times we observe in the poem a Biblical and Prophetic tone that attracts us."

Seshendra's deep scholarship in Vedas, Upanishads and Kavyas has placed him in a unique position among the scholars of the country. "Shodasi" his tantric commentaries on the Ramayana and 'Swarna Hamsa' the study of Harsha's 'Naishadhiya Charita' are monumental works of literary criticism. 'Kaala Rekha', Seshendra's Sahitya Akademi Award winning book is a collection of 25 essays on various subjects like Ancient Sanskrit and ancient Greek Drama, Comparative Literature, Classical Poetry, Aurobindo's Savitri etc. "Gorilla" was published in 1977 (bi-lingual edition) and it was hailed as ‘Pure Poetry' by critics. Dr. R.V.S. Sundaram from Mysore University translated it into Kannada and the book was prescribed for the M.A course.
Seshendra Sharma is the founder member of 'Kavi sena movement' for which he wrote a manifesto ‘Adhunika Kavya Shastra'. His desire was to educate the new generation of poets. This book has widely influenced contemporary criticism in Telugu literature.

In 1985 all his volumes of poetry were compiled into one book adding new poems under the title ‘Adhunika Mahabharatam' and in 1993 another collection of poetry by name ‘Janavamshan’ was brought out. His book titled ‘Narudu Nakshatralu' (man and stars) which deals with a variety of subjects like science, politics, economics, history and sociology bear testimony to Seshendra's versatility and brilliance of thought. The Telugu University conferred on him Honorary D.Litt in 1994.

In 1994, Seshendra was conferred the title of "Rashtrendu" (Moon of the Nation) by the Official Language Commision of the Home Ministry, Government of India at Calcutta. He has won many other awards. At present he has been nominated as a member to the 'Kendriya Hindi Samithi' under the Prime Minister of India.

Seshendra's writing is truly a tireless exploration. He flies into the tapestry of human life and brings forth a consortium of myriad thoughts, with every word charged with force, majesty, might and immense beauty.